Ok, I got a lot of reviews…mostly from the same person on each chapter…but hey, I'll count it!

Also, I really wanted to post this chapter, because I really like it! Read on, and you'll find out why. ^_^

Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, and hi to Immortal-Grace when you get to this chapter! Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. ^_^

~Lainfaer~

Immortal-Grace- Thank you for all your lovely reviews, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. Yes, Elladan and Elrohir are Princes! Your sister sounds weird! You have a twin? That is sooo cool! I know triplets…but I won't go into details! ^_^

Gwyn- Yeh, yeh, alright! Loopholes I'll accept…this time! You did give seven…kinda. Thank you! ^_^

shadowkitty()- I wrote more really soon for you! Thank for reviewing! ^_^

Kitsune()- Yours counts as six reviews too? Ok then, here's chapter 21…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 21: The Final Fight.

Dolenmíl raced along the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to get back to the kitchen!

Her golden hair streamed out behind her as she ran along, leaping neatly over any obstacles. Her group was far behind now, but she had to get there quickly, else she would be out of time!

She reached the stairs that led down to the kitchens, and ran hurriedly down. She slipped on the second-to–last and fell, but she scrambled up and ran along. Her eyes were watering with the air that was hitting them, but she wiped the tears away. She had to be in time, she had to be…

She got to the doorway, and saw the Dagnir-o Lóre standing there, hands clenched into fists. He had his back to her, but as soon as she turned up, he looked around to see who had arrived.

****

Legolas heard feet running down the hallway that led to the kitchens, but he did not show he had heard them. His gaze was fixed firmly upon the Dagnir-o Lóre. He was only two feet away from the demon, and the table stood in between them. Gandalf stood by his side, staff at the ready. All the Elves stood around them, swords unsheathed, but hanging rather limply.

Behind the Dagnir-o Lóre, Dolenmíl suddenly appeared. Everyone's head snapped round to look at her, including the Dagnir-o Lóres'. The eyes blazed again.

"Legolas, he only needs one more!" she called to him, even as the Dagnir-o Lóre turned right round to face her. "One more and his transformation will be complete!"

Legolas' eyes widened at her news. He looked back at the demon whose concentration rested completely upon the maiden in front of him. Though the Elves could not see it, he grinned evilly. 

"Dolenmíl get out of here!" Legolas found himself shouting.

//She must not get hurt!//

"Run!" he commanded her, but she didn't move.

"Come on then, you know you want me," she whispered to the Dagnir-o Lóre. She let her arms hang limply at her sides. "Come on, I'm not putting up a fight. Come and get me."

"Dolenmíl no!" Legolas shouted, but his call was too late. The Dagnir-o Lóre lunged at her, and his spirit passed into her through her forehead.

Her screams of pain echoed round the entire House as he passed though her whole body. Legolas could do nothing but watch helplessly as she fell to the floor, writhing and screaming in agony.

It was all over in half a minute. She lay motionless in the doorway, her eyes shut. The Dagnir-o Lóre was nowhere to be seen.

Legolas ran to her side. "Dolenmíl," he whispered, crouching down beside her. He looked at her forehead, but there was no mark.

"Check everyone's forehead," he commanded. They were checked, and sure enough, no Z's were present on any of them.

"It is done," Gandalf said softly. "He is now a solid being. We must find and destroy him."

A cloak was placed over Dolenmíl, and although Legolas did not want to, they left her in the kitchen. They ran back along the corridor, up the stairs, and started searching again.

They met up with the other groups, and all headed outside. Legolas could feel him, and his senses led him out of the House, down to the stables.

//The horses!//

He charged in, and immediately felt the presence of evil hanging in the air. All the horses were restless, and many were trying to kick their pen doors down. The Mirkwood horses had all bolted, except for one. 

Nifredil stood opposite the Dagnir-o Lóre, her tail swishing angrily. One hoof pawed the ground, and she kept snorting at him. He was at the back of the stables, glaring down at her.

"Nifredil…" Legolas whispered in amazement. She was stopping the Dagnir-o Lóre from escaping so her master could kill him.

The Dagnir-o Lóre made a small growl at her, but she didn't even flinch. Legolas walked up to stand beside her, and waving everyone else out of the stables. They did as they were told, and waited just outside. It was all up to Legolas now.

He reached Nifredil and stroked her mane, whispering to her in Elvish. She snorted and nodded her snowy head up and down, but would not budge. Both fear and loyalty were holding her in place now.

"You have come," the Dagnir-o Lóre said. His voice was deep and menacing. It had a hint of a growl to it.

Legolas nodded. "I have." Against the Dagnir-o Lóres', his voice was clear, beautiful, and pure.

The Dagnir-o Lóre straightened up from where he had been leaning against the back wall. "I have waited for this day for so long," he continued. "To be a real person, to live as a solid being, not as a shadow. And you are going to try and take that away from me."

"You have hurt my people and my friends," Legolas answered, his voice filled with hatred and determination. "You deserve nothing other than death."

"Well, if that is your attitude, then I will have no other choice but to kill you," the Dagnir-o Lóre answered, grinning evilly. "And you had better tell your pet to move, unless she wishes to die a very slow and painful death, just like yourself."
"She will leave when she wants, and she is nobody's pet. She is my steed and friend. I do not own her, I just care for her and she lets me ride her. She is most faithful to me, and will remain by my side as long as she can."

"Very well, if she has a death wish. She clearly takes after her master." The sound of a sword being unsheathed was heard, metal scraping against metal. He stepped forward.

Legolas too, took a pace forward to meet his opponent. Nifredil stayed where she was, as still as a statue. Every now and then, her ears would flicker in annoyance at the Dagnir-o Lóres' words against her master. 

The stable was silent. The two stared at each other, each waiting for the other to take the plunge and attack first. Legolas could see the Dagnir-o Lóre clenching and unclenching his free hand in annoyance. He stood stock-still, waiting for what seemed like an eternity.

"We could stand here for an age, and never end this," the Dagnir-o Lóre said impatiently. "Why don't you just get on with it?"
"You first," Legolas replied, a small grin flitting onto his lips.

The Dagnir-o Lóre growled, but he lunged forward, sword outstretched. Legolas easily barred it, and them the fight really began.

The dust was kicked up beneath their feet as they fought. Legolas found he was mostly blocking the Dagnir-o Lóres' blows, not actually aiming himself. He was being pushed backwards, towards the stable door. If the Dagnir-o Lóre managed to get outside and escape, all their hopes would be lost.   

Nifredil moved to the side as her master was beaten back towards her. She snorted in annoyance at the Dagnir-o Lóre. He gave a quick harsh laugh.

"Your pet isn't being much use to you is she?"

"She is staying out of harms way, just as I told her to," Legolas replied, gritting his teeth in determination as the Dagnir-o Lóre swung his sword at his head again. He ducked, and aimed his sword at the Dagnir-o Lóres' legs.

He hit, and blood came gushing out of his knee. The Dagnir-o Lóre howled in pain and frustration. "No, you cannot do this!" he cried, clutching his mutilated knee with his free hand. The blood seeped out through his fingers and ran down his hand.

"Can't I?" asked Legolas, raising an eyebrow. "I haven't seen a rulebook anywhere. Shall we continue?"

He didn't wait for an answer. He neatly drove his sword into the Dagnir-o Lóres' shoulder. There it got wedged, and then he was stuck. Tears were running down the creatures' face, but he made no sound of sobbing. "You cannot defeat me," he whispered harshly, struggling to his feet, Pelatus still dug deep into his shoulder. "I will not let you!" He grabbed Legolas' leg and started to twist it, his long sharp claws digging in. It was not only the painful twisting, but also, Legolas felt stinging as the claws dug further in. Almost like a burning sensation. He cried out in pain, but wrenched his leg free. He winced at the sound of his knee dislocating.

Legolas was now unarmed, injured, and very much in danger. The only sword he could use was Pelatus, as it was the only weapon that could destroy the Dagnir-o Lóre. And that was now high out of his reach as the Dagnir-o Lóre grew up to his full height. Legolas looked helplessly up at the hilt, glowing golden in the faint sunlight. He knew there was no way he would be able to get it back now. He did not see Nifredil trot silently behind the Dagnir-o Lóre, and raise herself up onto her hind legs.

"You are defenceless now Prince Legolas," the Dagnir-o Lóre spat. "It is going to take a lot more than just two cuts to kill me!" He started to laugh, but that laugh turned into a howl of pain as Nifredil kicked his back with her front legs. She aimed next at his knees, and they buckled beneath his great weight, bringing him crashing to the floor. She snorted, and kicked his head just for the sake of it.

Legolas took his chance and wrenched Pelatus out of the creatures' shoulder. He yelled in pain again, and looked up at the almost triumphant Prince above him.

"You almost achieved your goal," Legolas said softly, gripping the hilt of Pelatus with both hands. "You almost took over my fathers' kingdom, and Imladris. But you will not." He lifted Pelatus high into the air, and before the Dagnir-o Lóre could move, brought it down hard into his back, just over the lungs.

The scream ran all through Imladris, as his life faded away. His eyes began to glaze over. "Very well," he choked, blood foaming out of his mouth. "You have defeated me. But there is one last thing I must do." He still held his sword in his hand, and he had just enough strength to lift it up, and throw it towards Nifredil, who stood a little way away.

"Nifredil, move!" Legolas screamed, pulling Pelatus out of the Dagnir-o Lóres' head. That was it for the demon. He died, his blood running away out the door and to the feet of those waiting outside.

Nifredil neighed and reared up, trying to move out of the path of the oncoming sword. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion for Legolas. The sword hit her, right in her chest. She gave a loud cry of pain, and that cry echoed in Legolas' ears. She fell onto her side, the deadly weapon protruding from her flanks.

He hobbled over to her, tears streaming down his face. She was still alive, but only just. "Nifredil, no," he sobbed, stroking her sweating neck. She nodded her snowy mane as if saying that it was time.

"You were so faithful to me," he said softly, still stroking her face. "I will never forget you. Sleep in peace now." He bent down, and kissed her cheek softly.

She gave one last sigh, then fell silent, her dark brown eyes closing for the last time.

I hated writing that last bit! I didn't really want to kill Nifredil too, but…

At least the Dagnir-o Lóre is dead now…finally! Yay! But…there are 5 chapters left after this! Only 5! 26 in all. When I get a reasonable amount of reviews, I shall update. ^_^

Namárie for now melloneamin. (I just discovered that means 'my friends' in Quenya!) ^_^

~Lainfaer~